I darted forward, swinging my cane in an overhead strike.

The varnished wood clacked against the metal staff he raised in both hands.

He's open.

I twisted to my left and raised my leg for a sidekick to his chest.

"Forma."

I knew that word.

A primal instinct told me to jump.

I pushed off with my right foot, falling forward and tucking into a roll. The stairs left angry lines of pain on my back and shoulders. I snapped my head up to see what I dodged.

Between Nostrand's feet, a slender spike of glowing stone protruded from the terrace floor. If I hadn't jumped, I would have been spit-roasted like a pig.

Nostrand grabbed the tip of the spike with his left hand.

"Forma."

It warped and flattened into a broad-bladed stone sword with a half-moon guard.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Shay's bluff was working. Nostrand could have killed me ten times over with the First Magic, but he was conserving his will—protecting himself from a hidden Enchanter's attack. What would happen when he realized that attack was never coming?

A silly question.

Everyone would die.

Stone clacked against stone.

Nostrand charged down the stairs, closing the distance with his arm across his body for a lateral sword slash.

I ducked.

The stone blade brushed the tip of my top knot. The staff in his right hand swung down to split my skull.

I moved a moment too late.

The staff's snake head slammed into my shoulder. My left arm went numb. My cane clattered down the stairs. Before I could reach for it, I rolled my left shoulder forward to block the foot flying at my chest.

My upper arm absorbed the blow, sending me rolling across the stairs.

I snapped to my feet, rubbing feeling back into my left arm.

Nostrand walked toward me in a casual stride, like he owned the world. In a way, he did, through the First Magic.

"Child of my blood, it didn't have to be like this. You could have been my chronicler. I would have even let you keep one of your slaves—like that tall woman, for example."

I wheezed out a laugh while my left arm dangled.

"You're lucky Castille isn't around to hear you."

"You fear her?"

He shook his head.

"How low has our family fallen?"

Nostrand leapt forward, stone sword raised high.

My left arm twitched back to life. I winced through the pain, raising it to send a torrent of fire into his face and blinding his vision.

I jumped back, his stone blade grazing my nose. I landed in a crouch over the spot where my cane landed.

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I grabbed it and stood up, twisting my dagger back into its sheath.

The fire had done no damage to the Enchanter. The only effect on his face was the slight flush of red from the heat.

This was a bad match-up.

Nothing in my skillset worked on him.

And the situation was about to get worse.

While I was focused on Nostrand, the heavies behind me would cut off my escape and attack me from the rear. The cart I rode in had spears. How soon until one made its way into my back?

I took one eye off Nostrand to look over my shoulder.

The stone men were not climbing the stairs to attack me as I expected. Instead, they were advancing on…

Castille and Thor!

I turned my head to get a better look.

Castille, Thor… and Dugan! He was doubled over at the edge of the street.

Not again…

He was having a panic attack like that night at the Lagos brothers' party. The Grand Terraformer's oppressive field was too strong.

"Such loyal allies. A pity they're too late."

A spike of fear ran through me.

I thrust my arms forward without looking, blocking Nostrand's sideways slash with my cane. The blow made me stagger to the edge of the stairs.

"They can't save you, child. No one can."

I smiled.

"No… but I can save them."

I jumped off the stairs, slamming into the ziggurat's surface. The ground rushed to meet my feet, the wall's slant slowing my fall.

I landed in a cloud of dust. Pain shot through my feet and calves and exited out of my knees.

Hopefully, Dugan could heal arthritis.

I glanced at Castille, Thor and Dugan. The heavies were encircling them from the front, and more were coming down the street. Above me, Nostrand watched with an amused smile on his face.

Screw him!

I limped past the ring of carts at the base of the ziggurat. As I moved closer to the battle, the figures became clearer.

"Castille!"

The Northern woman danced around the spear thrusts of the heavies trying to surround her.

"Jacob! You looked like you were having some trouble!"

"I could say the same about you!"

She batted away a spearhead aimed at her head.

"This?! It's nothing!"

I pointed with my cane.

"Doesn't look like nothing!"

"Hah! Let's show him, Dugan!"

The stocky man got to his feet, holding a bundle of magically lengthened rope in his arms.

So that's what he was doing.

He grit his teeth, pushing deeper into the Grand Terraformer's field. He tossed one end of his rope to Thor. The pack animal caught it in his mouth and charged forward, weaving between the stone men's legs. The rope sprouted into snaking vines, wrapping around their legs and rooting them in place.

It was all a part of their plan.

Castille had let herself get surrounded. She grouped the stone men together to make it easier for Dugan and Thor to pull off this maneuver.

"Now, run!"

Castille cut to the right, ducking the blunt end of a swung spear. Thor ran beside her. Dugan cut to the left while the heavies stabbed at the vines with awkward thrusts of their spears.

She slapped me hard on my left shoulder as she ran past.

"Ow!"

So much for saving them.

Before I could feel embarrassed, a spear thudded into the ground beside me. Another flew past my head. Some of the stone men were throwing their spears instead of trying to break free.

"When I said run, I meant everyone!" Castille shouted over her shoulder.

I hobbled after them.

"Where's Isla and Reed?!"

"Hiding! Now, keep quiet. You'll ruin the plan."

"This plan. What's the next step?"

She turned to me.

"Survive."

Easier said than done.

We moved past the ring of carts, skidding to a stop at the base of the ziggurat. Nostrand stared down at us from the top of the first-floor stairs.

"Your ability is curious. In my age, becoming Landbound was a privilege reserved for Kings. Now, even peasants have the talent. Are you all Landbound?"

"Attack!" Castille shouted.

"What?!" I asked.

Castille, Dugan and Thor charged up the stairs.

"Wait!"

Are they crazy? I thought the goal was to survive.

Nostrand readied his sword, and as he did, a thick fog wafted from the top of the ziggurat. Wisps of white mist rolled over the stairs, blanketing him and then my party.

I ran after the shadowy figures disappearing in the mist.

What were they doing?

They were going to get themselves killed.

"CLARUS!"

Nostrand's voice shook my bones. The fog around him was snuffed out, leaving a perfect circle in the sea of mist with only me and him on the ziggurat's steps.

Castille, Dugan and Thor were gone.

Where are they? What did he do?

Nostrand scanned the edge of the circle, ignoring my existence.

"Enchanter! Enough of these games!"

He pointed his sword in my direction.

"Face me, or this child dies!"

After a moment of silence, the fog behind Nostrand parted. A clear path emerged on the stairs, and a lone figure stood at the top of the ziggurat.

He turned to face the figure. Their blue cloak hid their face, but the slight frame and black staff held in one hand were all too familiar.

"More games! You are not the Enchanter."

Isla pulled back her hood, a broad, beaming smile on her face.

And in that moment, I understood. She had spent what felt like ages suppressing her abilities, hiding her talent. Even outside the Dellends, such displays of power raised dangerous questions. But here… In this place without prying eyes, she had the rare opportunity to go all out.

"No, I'm not the Enchanter…"

Her usually quiet voice boomed from the top of the ziggurat.

"I am your conqueror."

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